Selected 18th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, it hasn't been easy for Walter Clayton Jr. since arriving in Memphis as a part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. After struggling significantly following the trade deadline last season, it was clear that Clayton Jr. needed to have a strong preseason in order to avoid being a part of the impending roster crunch.
Not too long ago, the Grizzlies waived Jordan Hawkins in order to get closer to 15 standard contracts. However, the harsh truth is that with two remaining cuts needed to be made, Walter Clayton Jr. should be one of the next cuts to close out the Grizzlies' roster crunch. Probably the biggest downfall for Clayton Jr. in Memphis has been the lack of shooting efficiency.
It is a bit puzzling given how promising Walter Clayton Jr. looked as a shooter in the pre-draft process. But at the end of the day, he has to make shots if he wants to stick on the Grizzlies roster. Similar to last season, he has simply failed to do that this preseason. In three games, Clayton Jr. has played in 13.3 minutes per game, averaging 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
While that production may sound fine on a surface level for the preseason, the biggest problem is how inefficient the scoring has been. Clayton Jr. is shooting just 31.6% from the field and making just 18.2% of his shots from behind the arc. Given the importance of shotmaking in Iisalo's system, it's simply not looking good for Clayton Jr.'s future in Memphis.
It's an obvious decision for the Grizzlies
Even before the preseason, I had mentioned how Walter Clayton Jr. did not previously show signs of being a long-term piece in Memphis. While that has remained the case in preseason, I had also brought up the fact that Zach Kleiman previously praised Clayton Jr.'s toughness and winning, which potentially left open the possibility that he could make the team anyways.
But the truth is, Walter Clayton Jr. has been unimpressive this preseason and struggled significantly after arriving in Memphis last trade deadline. To make matters more difficult, Clayton Jr. was not able to play in this year's Summer League due to injury.
Heading into preseason, the opportunities to prove himself were already going to be limited. But if one thing is clear with one preseason game remaining, Walter Clayton Jr. did not capitalize on his chances. With two cuts needed to get to 15 standard cuts, Micah Peavy (currently injured), Kris Murray, and Walter Clayton Jr. are the most likely three names in the conversation.
It remains to be seen what happens next, but the most logical move would be for the Grizzlies to waive Walter Clayton Jr.
Add us as a preferred source on Google